Jasprit Bumrah (Source: AP)
The ongoing IPL 2026 has been tough for the Mumbai Indians and their star pacer Jasprit Bumrah. Known as one of the most reliable fast bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah has yet to pick up a single wicket after five matches this season.
His rare dip in performance and the Mumbai Indians’ poor run have put their campaign under serious pressure. Under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya, MI currently sit near the bottom of the points table, having lost four matches in a row after winning their opener.
Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2026 campaign so far
Mumbai Indians began their season on a positive note with a convincing 6-wicket win against Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium. However, things quickly went downhill after that.
On April 4, MI lost to Delhi Capitals by 6 wickets. This was followed by another defeat against the Rajasthan Royals, where they fell short by 27 runs.
Returning home did not improve their fortunes. They suffered an 18-run loss against RCB and then went down to the Punjab Kings by seven wickets at Wankhede. With just one win in five matches, MI now find themselves in ninth place, with their playoff chances already under threat.
Jasprit Bumrah wicketless in IPL 2026 so far
Jasprit Bumrah's form has been one of the biggest talking points of the season for the Mumbai Indians. Across five matches, he has conceded 164 runs without taking a single wicket, maintaining an economy rate of 8.63. His latest outing against the Punjab Kings saw him return figures of 0 for 41 with an economy rate of 10.25.
The fact cannot be denied that this situation is unusual for a bowler of his calibre. However, this is not a sudden decline but a mix of factors.
Also Read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Humiliates Jasprit Bumrah With 2 Sixes In Same Over
Batters are no longer attacking him aggressively; instead, they are playing him cautiously and focusing on scoring off other bowlers.
Additionally, without early breakthroughs from other bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah has often been bowling in situations where batters are already set, making his job more difficult.
Mumbai Indians break silence on Jasprit Bumrah’s performance
Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene has defended Jasprit Bumrah and dismissed concerns about his form.
According to him, the issue lies more with the team's overall bowling performance than with Bumrah alone.
Mahela Jayawardene explained that MI have failed to create pressure during the powerplay overs. As a result, opposition teams do not feel the need to take risks against Bumrah, which limits his chances of picking wickets.
"Yeah, I mean, I think Booms (Bumrah) is bowling well; it's just that we're not putting pressure in the powerplay. They know they don't need to take too much risk against Booms, and while we've tried a few different things, which he is trying as well, the opposition is batting well. I can't quite put a finger on it and say he hasn't taken wickets for a specific reason, but as a unit, we've lacked that penetration on different surfaces. That is something we need to work on," the former Sri Lanka captain told reporters on Thursday.
"I think once he starts taking wickets, we might not be able to stop him, so we just need to back that. He's not the only bowler in our attack; we've got other quality bowlers, and we just need to come together as a group. We've had quite a few unfortunate injuries and illnesses within the camp, so we haven't been able to get everyone on the park. Hopefully, we can get those guys out there consistently now," he stressed.
Who will MI next face?
Mumbai Indians now face a crucial phase in their campaign. Their next match is against the Gujarat Titans on April 20 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This will be followed by a high-profile clash against Chennai Super Kings at Wankhede Stadium on April 23.
Also Read: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, Pitch Report, Weather Report for GT vs KKR Match 25, IPL 2026
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